Empire Burlesque

by Bob Dylan

Empire Burlesque cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 30 May 1985
  • Label: Columbia
  • Country: United States
  • Length: 46:40
  • Community rating: 2.92/5 from 5 ratings

Album Notes & Community Reviews

'Empire Burlesque' finds Bob Dylan attempting to modernize his sound by embracing dense, highly synthesized 80s pop-rock production and dance-oriented drum beats. Beneath the glossy, heavily layered arrangements, Dylan delivers surprisingly romantic, introspective, and bittersweet songwriting. While the production remains highly polarizing, the album is a fascinating, energetic document of a folk legend navigating the MTV era.

Genres

Descriptors: folk, melodic

Tracklist

  1. Tight Connection to My Heart (Has Anyone Seen My Love) (5:20)
  2. Seeing the Real You at Last (4:19)
  3. I'll Remember You (4:12)
  4. Clean Cut Kid (4:15)
  5. Never Gonna Be the Same Again (3:08)
  6. Trust Yourself (3:27)
  7. Emotionally Yours (4:28)
  8. When the Night Comes Falling from the Sky (7:28)
  9. Something's Burning, Baby (4:52)
  10. Dark Eyes (5:07)

Credits

  • Bob Dylan - primary artist, words by, music by, written-by, keyboards, vocals, guitar, vocals, piano, vocals, vocals, guitar, harmonica
  • Nick Egan - design [cover designed by]
  • George Tutko - engineer
  • Judy Feltus - engineer
  • Josh Abbey - engineer [recording and mix engineer]
  • Greg Calbi - lacquer cut by [runout etching ⚾︎]
  • Arthur Baker - mixed by
  • Ken Regan - photography by
  • Carolyn Dennis - backing vocals
  • Esther Marrow - backing vocals
  • Peggi Blu - backing vocals
  • Robbie Shakespeare - bass
  • Sly Dunbar - drums
  • Mick Taylor - guitar
  • Ted Perlman - guitar
  • Richard Scher - synthesizer, synth [synth horns]
  • Bob Glaub - bass
  • Don Heffington - drums
  • Mike Campbell - guitar
  • Chops - horns
  • Benmont Tench - keyboards, piano, organ
  • Bashiri Johnson - percussion
  • David Watson - saxophone [solo], soloist
  • Howie Epstein - bass
  • Jim Keltner - drums
  • Madelyn Quebec - vocals
  • Jon Paris - bass
  • Anton Fig - drums
  • Ron Wood - guitar
  • Debra Byrd - backing vocals
  • Sid McGinnis - guitar
  • Alan Clark - synthesizer
  • Richard Sher - synthesizer
  • Stuart Kimball - electric guitar
  • Urban Blight Horns - horns
  • Al Kooper - rhythm guitar
  • Ira Ingber - guitar
  • Vince Melamed - synthesizer

More from Bob Dylan: full discography